STOP Buying ANDROID TV Boxes!
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN cites it as broad, accessible evidence that cheap Android TV boxes often come loaded with malware.
What it is
Linus Tech Tips warns against cheap Android TV boxes, many of which ship with preinstalled malware. It looks at several boxes and suggests safer alternatives such as Chromecast and Nvidia Shield.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2023 to 2023.
What Hacker News said
Recommends vosper · 2023-09 · on “Apple TV, now with more Tailscale”
Beware that a lot of cheap Android TV boxes come pre-loaded with heaps of malware. You don't want them in your network. Linus Tech Tips has a video about it: [this video]
Cites HnUser12 · 2023-04 · on “Why is ‘juice jacking’ suddenly back in the news?”
The problem with buying stuff off Amazon is, we don’t know if the stuff itself is compromised[1][2]. I wish some well-known manufacturer would offer something like this. [1] [LINK] [2] [this video] (Youtube)
Cites rektide · 2023-05 · on “The situation with malware on Android TV ROMs is ridiculous”
This has been well covered by Linus Tech Tips very recently. [this video] There's a great submission a couple hours ago on why LTT has been so effective covering it. [LINK] LTT cites some other major sources that were already publishing the absurd shit packaged on the various boxes. LTT didn't go super deep, but they did go pretty wide, & looked at a bunch of boxes, & were like, yup, all horrible, just absolutely deplorable garbage! So sad that arm is such a lowly immature ecosystem. If these were more like the computers we know love & take for granted we'd just do a fresh install of a regular OS like Debian & these would be potentially useful interesting boxes. Instead they're just garbage forev
Cites supriyo-biswas · 2023-05 · on “Potentially millions of Android TVs and phones come with malware preinstalled”
Because unlike cybercriminals operating out of their home who can't consider a lawsuit because it'd only serve to surface their presence to law enforcement, companies can and do sue others on libel and similar grounds, even when there is no merit to the lawsuit. LTT did a video[1] on the same topic showing a few Chinese smart TV boxes with malware. There is no reason to believe the report is illegitimate. [1] [this video]
Cites dghughes · 2023-05 · on “Potentially millions of Android TVs and phones come with malware preinstalled”
Linus Tech Tips YouTube channel also did a review and found many cheap Android TV boxes were infested with malware. [this video] It was perfect timing since I am trying to find some simple solution to my old Roku I use to bypass my "smart" TV. But Roku is probably just as invasive privacy-wise.